Corn picker



Widzss L. A.v PARADISE E1' AL 1,830,332

CORN PICKER Filed Jan. 16. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l NOV-.3 1931- L. A. PARADISE E1- AL. 1,330,332

conn PICKER Filed Jan. 1e. 192e 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NSW' 3 l931 L. A. PARADISE ET AL 1,830,332

CORN PICKER Filed Jan. 16, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 f, rangement of .suppOrts :fo-r. mounting the power plant on; the implement; to provide .Patented Nov.'Y 3,A 1931Y noms A, PnnADIsnA'rrnwImUn VVJjoonnriesfor. M OLIE, ILLINois, Assrenons -:ro

. ,vf Duuren-a' oorrrnnixormonrnn, ILLINOIS, Ja'conronetrrogxgr oF ILLINOIS rEhe present invention lpertainstomachines designed for picklng the earsy of standing corn` and husking. these ears *as `racontinurnis operation; andlit has as its general oltnect to .provide this type/of implement-with aipower gplantfor drivingthe pickinga'and husking -nie'clianisms, r Heretofore, the generalpractice khas beento'fdrive such mechanisms by traction power'derived from the wheels of the ilrnpleme'nt,l but` this is frequently objectionable;. particularlyv when the ground 1s wet,

,i whichmakesrit-.difficult to obtaink thejnecesj' lsary traction energy -to operate the machine efficiently., kSuch isA avoided by kproviding a separate power plantl on lthel implement for driving the picking-andhusking mechanisms;

pull v of thejimple-inent is greatly decreased whenthe jtract'iye eneigvgofitsjwheels 1s not necessary foridrivingcthefpicking and. huskingmechanisms. The ,power plant which is mountedon theiniplement is an internaly com- Y bustionengine, preferably a complete power plant unitofl the type heretofore employed 1n -tlie .Ford automobile. g' 5 f The inventionhasfor.its'morespecic ob- 30 operating parts, as nottodisturb the proper f balance ofthe implement; toinount the'powerfplant on thefi'mplement in such relation tothestandard construction thereof 'as to avoid the necessity of 'making` extensive alterations in the vconstructionV of ,the implement or departing -fromthe' conventional design thereofl in Jordner;toaccommodate the powergpla'nt;toprovide an *improvedy ar- Vfora simple andiconvenient control ofthe engine speed andthetransmission ofits drive' ltov-the operating mechanismsof the implev ment; Y' and i toV provide. 'otherv improved, `feaj y tures in associationwith the mounting offthe y.".I'J'ower plantpn the implement,'as will yapl .pese .more.ruuyantheruiming;Cleaned de. lscripltion-of theinvention.I f

- The: corn picker illustrated: in

jects; toso relate and', dispose the power plant' onthe implement; withfreferenceto the other "ggAppneat-idn i'eafrariuakry 16,(1'9278. :serial Nb. 245,940.

v ln the. drawings accompanyingk this descriptionz A, 1 Fig.' lis aplan vview of the rear :portion ofthe corn'picker, showing the power plant mount-ed thereon." 1

'.Fg; 2 isarearelevational view thereof.

iFig. Bis atdetail'view showingy themounting of. the front )Of ythe power plant' onl'the implement. z.' q

Fig. 4. is ay fragmentary viewfillu's'trating the mounting of the .power plant onthe rimplement; vas=viewed from the right handside of the power yplant.,`

f Figj is 'a similar view -showing the mountingoffthe power plant on the implement; as

viewed-from' the lc'ftfhandside of the power plant;and. -fk Y p .M Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on thel line 6.-'6 of Fig..3 showing the mounting-ofi the frontend ofthe power plant. i f

Y ligsffl and Qyisfof av well known conventionall construction, and henceit willnotbe necessaryto describe the :construction and roperation thereof` li'n'detail. Gonsideringthe operating mechanisms broadly; the corn. picking Vmechanism -8 isfgenerally located at the left-hand'side of the machine and theh'uskingl mechanism 9 at'the right y'hand side thereof.V The picker mechanism 8' comprisesth'e usual gathering arms 11 yfor guiding the stalks into the machine; with which. gathering arms a pair of inclined snapping zrolls cooperate; yIt will notbe necessary to describe these snapping rolls,- astheirfconstruction and operation is well known. vAstheears are snapped from the sta1ks,zthey fall intofthe path ofv an elevator'lQ-which conveys the ears kto the husk- .ing mechanism 9V at the opposite side' of the machine. 1 Such elevator comprises the usual endlesschain having conveyor members aflixedthereto at spaced-points, which conveyor members Vmov-ve upwardly alongside "the y snappingl rolls `in thel gatherer arms'll; for

. elevato-r. The lreturnfzpath;of the elevator-is through a channel15 which inclines downwardly and forwardly, and to the left, for

, vextending the path' ofthe elevator down to a forward point on' the inner gatherer arm 11.'1The channel 15 represents-the return .flight ofthe elevator. Itis not necessary to illustrate the detail construction of the elevator, as the same is well known. The ears ldischarged',from the upper end of the elevator slide down into' thehusking mechanism 9,

which comprises any'suitablearrangement ofV inclined husking rolls, which strip Vthe husks, 1. silks etc; from the ears. as the latter travel' l'down along the upper-surfacesof the rolls.-

Itis customary to provide these implements with the wagon elevator or conveyor 16,"on to whichthe husked ears are discharged forv conveyance/toa wagon traveling alongside 'of the implement.; These implements are usually provided with other complementary devices, such-:as a husk conveyor-17` (F ig.V 2)

which Aserves -to carry` the husks andrefuse hackitofapoint of dischargeatthezrear end scribedl areusually connected to a common f of the machine, as is well known..

'All'of the operating1 mechanisms above dedrive shaft, such being represented by the shaft 18 whicheXtends vfrom lthefrear of the I implement vat the -left hand' side thereof The several-operating Vmechanisms are all mountedon a mainframe 19 comprising vtwo sloaced,Y longitudinally extendingyframe bars 21 and 22`,`which .are cross Connected at their; lfront ends by a transversely extending 'frame Y Vbar, 23.. zjThe rearfendsl-'of the longitudinal f framebars' 21 and 221arealso cross connected byispaced, transversely extending frame bars U24.. fand-125. -The frame' is. preferably reinforced byanj arched Jframebar 26 :which extends diagonally from the, frontfframe bar 23'.' to Vtherear framebar24.- 'The frame'19 is suitablysup'ported on two laterally spaced wheels 27 and 28 which are disposed. oni the outer-sides of the longitudinal frame bars 21 and 22, and which are Vmounted on'anvaxle 28A whichis suitably Vsecured to said frame bars.. This :axle has not beenfshown indetail, to favoidjobscnring'fthe illustration, but its general'const'ruction' and theY mounting of the frame thereon will be apparent tofthose familiarA with these implements." The forward end of the frame is usually supported Jon a Y fore carriage or Vtongue truck'v (notshown),

' therearwardlydisposed main wheels'27 and 28,'however, lcarrying the major portion ofthe weight of the implement. Theoperatorls" seat 29 is-ius'ually 'supported acent' tof the front' end-of the implement frame It will be f noted that thepicker mechanism 8 has con- 'sidferableoverhan'g vat the side 'of themachine,

.with ,the .principaliweight thereof vdisposed `ata point located outwardly bey'o'ndthe plane ofthe adjacentfload bearing'fwheel V27,' and thatitheghusking: mechanisml 9 Yalso has-acornsiderable overhang at the opposite side of thev implement, with ythe principalweight thereof disposed ata point located outwardly beyond the plane of the opposite load bearing wheel 28. As will hereinafter appear, thedisposal of the power lplant is such-"thatitsv Vweight. tend's,-in .ameasure, Vto counterbalan'ce 'the overhanging' weight of each of the picker and huskingmechanisms. Aspreviously remarked,`this powerplant, which is Vdesignated 'Prin-its `entirety/,is preferably a Ford engine unit comprising the engine block @,'the radiator?n and the plane-f :tary-.transmission mechanism t. 'In the ,typical-Ford' constructiomftheseparts all constitut-e .a'unitary powerplant, andthe same is .installed as such in thel present implement.

While the Fordunit` is preferred, it lwillbe evident'that .any other design .of power plant may, lof course, be employed Vin lieu` thereof.

disposed in rearof'theoperators seat29, and

withl the. rear 'end` of the power 'plant disposed substantially at the rear end ofthe vframe 19. The stub shaft 81 which projects. from the rear end of the transmission mechanismt has Such power plant is installed in the implevment facing forwardly, with the radiator r a sprocket wheel 82'mounted thereon, over which is trained a sprocket chainfSB; VA'Said `chain passes over a relativelylarge sprocket wheel Be'which is mounted'onthe `rear'portion Vof the drive shaft 18, whereby the power ofi the power plant P istransmitteddirectly to 'ing' the fore and vaftplaneof the power plant between theforeV and aft planes of-thefwheels, the weight of the power plant-iseifective for counterbalancing to' a'considerable extent the overhanging weight oflthe picker mechanism ,"8 and husking mechanism I9, rso' that the weight of the 1 power plant Vf :onnteracts the upwardly acting buckling stresses established inthe centralportion ofthe frame through such overhanging weight. Bydisposingthe vpower yplanttin the fore and aft Vposition shown, considerable portion' of the weight thereof isrlocateddirectly over the centers of lll@ the wheels 'Q7-'28,.andsuch portionof the weight thatfacts downwardly-on the rear portion. of the frame tends to counterbal'ance power-plant also places kthe same inra position where.` it 1 clears the operating parts of the standardV cornV picking machine above described, and avoids thejnecessity of lmaking any alterations in the design thereof; 'It'.will.

.the weight of the long forwardly extending; gathere-rarms 11'-11. 'Suchdisposal ofthe be noted that'the feeding-'flight 1li-'of theele- I vator l2 passes over'fthe :top v`rofthe; eligiinek i' jee tor' passes downwardly belowthe radiator r,

Referringqnowto2 ot' 'n ing -thefpower planten thelimp'lenient, it will befobserved from Figs'. 2 and f4 that the right fit hand rear portion thereof isgsupported 'onan i inverted U-,shaped bar 36 which hasone end bolted to thef-rearframebar2'5, and which 'has its other/end bolted to the diagonally extending frame bar `26'. t In'the lstandard Ford l constructionk the `housing `of theltransmission "mechanism VtL-is provided withy an outwardly yextending `mounting vbracket .487,'fand this bracket is boltedtoithe top ofthe support'z36,

asindicatedat 38k t lA diagonal bracefbar 39,

extends-downwardly Vfrom the-upper end of the supportBG to a point-of attachment on the v longitudinally extending frame bar 22. vThe `other mounting bracket f3? at the lefthandV v sideofthe power plant irs-bolted at 4&1 to the topiofjanother inverted U-shaped support42. As shown in Fig.; 1,1the front legr ofk thissup- Vportis bolted to vthe transverse :frame bar 24, and the'rear leg thereofis bent inwardlyfor y bolting to the other transverse frame. bar 25 at avpoint. substantially ,below the power plant., A brace 43jisy secured to the upper endof. the support-.42,landiextends down-r wardly and fastenst'o the inner one ottwo i longitudinal 'frame bars(not`shown) which 'constitute apartv of the' frame orthe picker' mechanism 8 while .a'brace40 is'securedftothe support42zand'extends upwardly to a point A' fof 'attachment with the underneath side of I the inclined; channel-514.l j Itfwillrthus be seen `that the-mounting p ofthe rear vportion of'the lpower-'plant isfamply Qreinforced againsty andait and transversely stresses actingjfore of the implement.V

sumes the form of 'a'Y saddleor lstirrupfin which the front end `of the powerplantis supported. The-upwardly extending ends 45 of'suchlbar are bolted to laterally projecting lugs or brackets l46 -on the 'sides of the l v radiator r. yReferring to Fig. 6, the crank case of the standard VFord engine-has a forwardly projectingportion `47 which extends a lunder ythe* bottom of the radiator 1,- and @Teo Qwhich, in thepresent constructionfis bolted 'to` the support 44,VA as indicated-M148. i, Thus the typical lthree-point ysuspensionY of the VFordQengineis retained' in' the presentmounting-. f-f The forward extension 4715i the' engine v eis also us-'iiallyiprovided-witha bearingboss 49'in whichth'e startinglcranklis journaled,

such starting crank also ezitendingv forwardly between the bottom itlieyradiator r and the vsupporting -bar lcentral portion of lf'return y flights.

the supporting bar 44 is mounted on and sus- ,thepoweri plant, is preferably mounted-on suitable supporting bars 55 which are secured totheframe bars ofthe picker rameif The starting crank 51 is of special design, havingarelatively long shaft portionfor disposing thefcranlr 'handle adjacenttothe operatorrs seat 29inazposition where it canfbe rotated without striking adjacent parts of the implement.y T he front portion of this crank hassupport in. a bearing 56 which is mounted on anainverted, U-shaped supporting-bar 57, the latter having its inclined legs secured to the front frame ba-r23. The transmission ot' lpowerl from the power; :plant tothe drive shaft 18 'iscontrolled byfa lever 58 which is pivotally ysupported A'on Vone .leg of the U- shaped supporting bar 5T, in proximity tothe operators seat 29'.: A rod 59is linked-.tothis controlleverand extends rearwardlyvu'nder i clutch pedal -62 of 'the transmission mechanismzf Referring to Fig. 5,'thecontrol lever 58` is adapted tofengage a shoulder orlock 63 which projects laterally from the support 57;

' Vhen theleveri58 is engaging the stop 63 the .clutchpedal62 is held inneutral. yBy push.- ling the lever 58, forwardly the transmission -mechanismfis thrown Vintoy low gear, and by allowing the lever to move backwardly past the stop 63 :theftransmission mechanismy is vthrown :into'high :gear or direct drive for idrivingthe operatingparts of the machine at i v i 75 "Thefuel tanlc547 which suppliesi'uel' to ico the 'desired working speed. The low gear A drive 'enables the operating parts-to 'be started.slowly. thereby avoiding strain on such operating parts and on the motor. '1 The 'speed ofthe motor is governed by a throttle lever 65 which is pivotally supported adjacent to the operators seat, and which is operatively connected through' a rod 66 with the throttle valve of the carburetor 67'.' Thereverse' pedal 68 (Fig. 2) which constitutes a standard control for theplanetary transmission ymechanismk t enables the operating mechanism of the implement'to beidriwve'nin a `reverse direction in the event that any vpart :fori-'driving the operating parts bf rvthe-imi-` u Vio lsire to secure by vLetters Patent is:

drivenY by ptraction poweryin'stead of by the PTJei' plant, whenever desired. 1' y What we. claimnas `our inventionland.: de-V l. In a corn picker,y thecombination-witlia framecomprisingtwo longitudinally extend- Y ing ffraine bara-two transverselyl extending' frame'` -bars adj ascent to theY rear end o said frame; a diagonal frame barxforreinforcing saidlongitudinal frame bars, two side 'wheels frame l'with its sfere 'and aftfplane f disposed "between theffore land aft 4.planes vof said lside 'of 'said engine, said'support having one wheels, an inverted U/-shapedl'siippcrt for one leg -securedito one of the transversely extending: .frame bars and thefotherf leg lsecu-red to said diagonal-frame bar, ran-inverted .Uz-

shaped supportfor the opposite side 'of said-V engineythertwo Alegs of VsaidV latter support' beine' secured jto'` thetwo transversely lextendingy rame .bar'sgza stirriipY shapedrv supporting bar extending-below said radiator and ihaving its ends secure'dfto thesides thereof', tlierfront end offsaidzenginegbeing supported on said latte-r ba'rbelo'wfsaid.v radiator', and means for Y n site-s'ideloic said engine, and meansrfor-jtrans'- y .mitting powerv from said engine fto said vdrive mounting said latterbarzonztheframe. Y. fj

In a corniY picker, vthel combinationV ofL a frame,twside wheels :for saidrame;V corn picking-'and husking'inechanisms on opposite sides of said frame; an operatois seat vadjacent to thefrontend of said framelra y power plant extending.longitudinally of said frame in a plane between the :verticalplanes of 4said 'wheels,` said p'owersplant comprising an internal combustion engine, a` ,planetary vtransmission mechanism and a radiator,

" eration of said. planetary transmission ineclianismv from a controly point adjacent to the i operators seat;

' ,In acornpicker, .the combination with a, frame'co'mprising two 'longitudinally' extendo ing,"V frame bars, two transversely extending `Jframe bars adjacent to the front and rear p Vends. of said frame`,` a diagonal frame bar'for Y reiniaorcingfsaid longitudinal frame bars,V Y 'twosifde-wlieels -for'said frame, corn picking and husking mechanisms on'opposite sides of -f said-frame, fand' a drive shaft operatively lconnected",to'sa'id picking and hiisking inechhv ffanisms, of fa-'powerplant for transmitting power to said drive shaft, said Y l,power Y plant Y f comprisinganfiiiternal combustion engine nascose Y extending longitudinallyjrof Said 'frame: withits fore andaft-Aplane. disposed .between Jthe fore andat-planesof saidwheels,ani1n' `vertedV U-.shaped support for-one side of' said engin'e, said support having onelegseciired to: ther transversely-` extending rear :trame: baIv Y vtheoppositefside of 'said engine,- oneof the legsof :said latter support being secured tol said :transversely extendingrear frameI har", i and'ineans` for transmiting power f from said engine-to said drive shaft. Y 'Y Y f- 4. In a cornpicker, the combnationiwith a frame comprising two'longitudinally eXtend= fand tlieuotlier..legsecuredxto said diagonal frame-bar, Zan invertecLU-'sliaped support .for

ing. frame `loarsV ltwo, transversely extending vof saidframe, and adrivo shaftioperatively connected to said picking and Yhuskingmechanisms, of a vpower plant lfor ltransmitting power to said drive shaft, said power-*shaft comprisingY aniv internal combustion Y lengine extendinglongitiidinally 'of saidframe with its foreandaftiplane 'disposed' between;A the f fore' 'and' aft' planes Yoi? said? wlieels,'{anfl in* verted U-shaped'supportior'one side of-saiid enginetl saidV ysupport havingone leg` securedy to said transversely extending (rear iframe loa-rand the other :legfsecured toisaid diagonal `frame bar, means for supporting theoppof f5. In alfcornfpicker, tlie with j ends'of said frame, two side-wheels'orsaid frame, corn' picking Vandhuslring mechanisms having overhanging supports beyond-said wheels at the oppositesides of saidIrame,

.of a power plant fortransinittingpower'to said-picking and husking mechanisms, -said power yplant'V comprising an internal combuseXtending longitudinally of said frame witn its fore and aft plane disposed between the supporting members secured; to 'f the barsV of lsai'di'rame''and connected with the' sides of tion engine and a radiator,` said power plant Vfore and aft planes o'said `wheels;lateralv i ends secured to the sides thereof;thefront` end of said engine Vbeing"supported jon said latter bar; below! said 1 radiator, y.i'iieans f for mounting said latter bar onisaid frame, Vand means fortransmi-tting power;V troni said' 'en-V gineto i 'l LGUIS AaBARADISEQ" v said ypicking v and flniskingimeclia- Y 

